While I didn’t go to Essen last week for SPIEL, I did get to go to Europe via the tabletop to battle bad guys and zombies.
Find Fish in Miaui
Z-Man Games is releasing Miaui (pronounced MEOW-ee), the latest from Bruno Faidutti, early next year. A 20-minute game for 3-6 players, you’ll “[c]arefully play your cards over 12 rounds, diving to snatch the Emperor Tuna and leaving the small Kittenfish for your opponent.” It can be pre-ordered on the company’s website now.
Source: https://www.zmangames.com/en/news/2018/10/23/announcing-miaui/
Portal Games
During Essen SPIEL Portal Games revealed a bunch of expansions on tap for next year, including 51st State: Allies, Alien Artifacts: Breakthrough, Robinson Crusoe: Mystery Tales, Stronghold: Undead, and L.A. Crimes, the first expansion for Detective: A Modern Crime Board Game. There’s also a “Loot Box [which]is a special set of unique promos for 6 Portal Games’ games” and it can be pre-ordered on November 1st.
Source: https://portalgames.pl/en/portal-games-2019-releases-announcement/
Sagrada The Great Facade Expansions
Floodgate Games announced the next three expansions for Sagrada. “Named after the three facades of the Sagrada Familia; the Passion, Life, and Glory Expansions will each have modular elements that will add to your experience with Sagrada. The first Great Facades Expansion, Passion, will introduce Inspiration Cards, Rare Glass Dice, Rare Glass Cards, Rare Glass Private Objectives, and Symmetry Public Objectives.”
Source: https://www.instagram.com/p/BpUfHYhAdbw/?hl=en&taken-by=floodgategames
SPIEL Games
BGG’s W. Eric Martin recorded a video with his quick takes on dozens of SPIEL games.
Source: https://youtu.be/6ywXjyNMOa8
New X-Wing Resistance
With X-Wing Second Edition rolling along, new fighters from the Resistance will be out soon. Fantasy Flight Games previewed the T-70 X-Wing piloted by Poe Dameron. “Featuring the rare combination of high initiative and a powerful ability, few aces can match him in terms of sheer skill.” There’s also a conversion kit for owners of the first edition.
Source: https://www.fantasyflightgames.com/en/news/2018/10/24/a-new-classic/
Full Metal Scythe
Stonemaier Games is releasing a set of metal mechs for Scythe. Each is “an individually numbered, foil embossed boxed set containing 1 metal mech (inkwashed zinc) from each faction. The mechs are protected by a felt-lined insert with a clear plastic lid for display.” They’ll be available November 2nd.
Source: https://stonemaiergames.com/games/scythe/metal-mechs/
Age of Steam Returns
Eagle-Gryphon Games is producing a new deluxe edition of Martin Wallace’s classic, Age of Steam. From the company’s Facebook page: “Deluxe edition of Age of Steam coming to Kickstarter in early 2019. Same great gameplay with six beautifully illustrated maps by Ian O’Toole included in the box.”
Source: https://goo.gl/QKFDs4
Betrayal Legacy
Designer Rob Daviau did a quick ask-me-anything on Twitter about the upcoming Betrayal at House on the Hill legacy game, Betrayal Legacy. “We redid haunt structure and layout to make it easier to understand (hopefully). There are also rules in the book for how to get unstuck if something is confusing. The game should survive fine if any minor to moderate errors take place.”
Source: https://twitter.com/robdaviau/status/1056549694049017856?s=19
Legendary Venom
According to Dice Tower News the 18th expansion to Upper Deck’s Legendary franchise is the small-box expansion Legendary: Venom. It adds “100 new cards from the Marvel Comics Venomverse team consisting of 5 venomized heroes, 2 masterminds (including Poison Thanos), 2 new villain groups, and 4 new schemes. The Excessive Violence keyword returns along with new game mechanisms and new twists on old ones.”
Source: http://www.dicetowernews.com/explore-a-symbiotic-relationship-in-legendary-venom/55362
Indian Summer and Love Letter Go Digital
From David Neumann’s BGG column comes news of Indian Summer and Love Letter digital versions now out on iOS and Android.
Source: https://boardgamegeek.com/blogpost/82405/app-news-digidiced-unveils-indian-summer-while-asm
Mice and Mystics on the Big Screen
Coming to a movie theater sometime soon is Mice and Mystics, based on Jerry Hawthorne’s cooperative game of heroes-turned-mice. According to Variety, Dreamworks is finalizing the movie rights and “Alexandre Aja attached to direct and co-write the script with Aquaman scribe David Leslie Johnson. Vertigo Entertainment’s Roy Lee and Jon Berg are producing.”
Source: https://variety.com/2018/film/news/dreamworks-animation-mice-and-mystics-movie-1202992375/
Final Days of Android: Netrunner
The last official world final of Android: Netrunner was recently held, as Fantasy Flight Games winds down its production and support of the game. Alex Spencer covered the final event. “This community spirit, and the resources that grew out of it, helped the game feel robust and alive for years beyond its launch. When I heard news of Netrunner’s imminent demise, it felt like the game was being cut down in its prime.”
Source: https://waypoint.vice.com/en_us/article/zm9989/the-final-days-of-netrunner
Finders Keepers
A young couple found six diamond rings worth $18,000 in a used copy of Mind Trap they thrifted for two bucks. “I figured my parents were in town so we’re not exactly going to have a wild night out drinking, I thought maybe we will go to the thrift shop and pick up some board games.”
Source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6314393/Young-Australian-couple-discover-SIX-diamond-rings-worth-18-000-hidden-inside-2-board-game.html
Finders Keepers 2
A few days later, the owner of the diamond rings found in the used game stepped forward. “She was certain they were her rings, most of them gifts from her husband, Donald, who died in a car crash nine years ago.”
Source: https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/p-e-i-widow-says-rings-found-in-thrift-store-board-game-are-gifts-from-her-husband
Tabletop Drives Digital Gains
Board games are not only enjoying its Golden Age, but they’re also thriving while digital ports of these games increase. “You can’t replace the fact that you’re playing with friends or family around the table and all the social interactions that you can have.”
Source: https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2018-10-25-asmodee-digital
Upcoming Board Game Conventions
November 1-4. Midwest GameFest. Independence, Missouri.
November 8-11. Gamehole Con. Madison, Wisconsin.
November 9-11. ConQuest Avalon. Sacramento, California.
November 9-11. U-Con. Ann Arbor, Michigan.
November 15-18. Chicago Toy & Game Fair. Chicago, Illinois.
December 27-30. CAP-Con. Atlanta, Georgia.
Visit casualgamerevolution.com for more convention listings.
